Christmas Miracle
by bridgie797
Summary: Just a overly sweet one-shot!  Because Christmas is the one day no one should be alone...1000 miles, Christmas songs, and some much needed love.


The Christmas carols serenaded Troy as he drove his old, beat up truck down the nearly deserted highway. Everyone else was inside, warm and safe, eating huge meals with family. They had presents that the children were whispering animatedly about opening later. Troy was sitting uncomfortably in his old Chevy, one hand on the wheel, one hand resting against his chin.

Ave Maria came on the radio and Troy glanced down. This was one of those songs that resonated within his heart. It was beautiful. His mother loved it. Through Ave Maria and a variety of other songs, she had instilled in his soul a profound love of music. Troy reached over and turned the volume up.

The mile marker 106 flew past as Troy thought again about his destination and the nerves in his stomach. She didn't know he was coming. She had no idea that he'd even considered the notion. Now, here is was, Christmas day, barreling down a four lane highway racing toward the one person who made him feel loved. She was the one he needed to hold close on Christmas night.

He felt the butterflies in his stomach flare up again. What if she wasn't there? What if this whole thing turned out badly? He'd have ruined his mother's favorite holiday for nothing. He'd have left his parents alone on his mother's favorite day of the year. Troy gripped the wheel tighter, but he shook his head. He couldn't celebrate without her. He couldn't bear the thought of her sitting alone on Christmas without him either. He wouldn't leave her alone. He would go to her. He was going to her.

The truck drove beneath yet another sign telling him he'd entered a new state's boarders. He continued looking up the road. Every mile brought him closer to her. Every mile meant he was nearer to the love and comfort he woke this morning knowing he could not do without on this particular day. He shifted in his seat and rubbed his eyes.

Three hundred miles later, he was exhausted. His eyes were beginning to blur. When he'd left his parents' house this morning, he'd been all emotional. He'd been sure and confident. Troy chuckled to himself as he thought, "I was fresh from a full night's sleep."

Troy rubbed the back of his neck and tried to loosen his muscles again. He needed a chance to stretch. That was when he saw it, the exit that would lead to her small apartment. He pulled off and made the right hand turn that his printed out directions told him to make. He stopped on a small side street and parked his truck. He shut it off and stretched his shoulders and neck. Then, with a renewed sense of emotion and urgency, he got out of the truck, slammed the door close and walked up the small concrete path. He looked up at the old house that had been made into apartments. He knocked on the door with the large, black "2A" sign on it.

Moments later, he felt disappointment crushing down on him as he still stood there in front of her apartment alone. He let his head drop to his chest and then looking back up, he shook his head at himself. It had been a spur of the moment idea. In his mind, it had been this momentous, magnanimously romantic gesture that she would love and adore him for. Now, it just felt foolish. He looked back at his truck and realized how much he didn't want to climb back in it and spend the rest of his Christmas day alone, isolated, and sad.

He looked back at her door. Something inside of him still held some hope. He wanted her to be home so badly. They hadn't known each other long. Troy reminded himself that for all he knew, she'd gone home with one of her friends for Christmas. Then he shook his head again. He remembered her saying that she was still hoping her mother would spontaneously appear on Christmas day.

He suddenly realized that was where this idea had come from. She'd wanted someone and he wanted to be that someone. He was growing more frustrated and felt odd still standing there thinking like some creepy guy stalking a girl's apartment.

He sighed, and pulled out his phone to call his best friend. He needed advice. But, before he could press send, he heard a small voice saying, "Um, excuse me?"

He grinned and looked up, "Hey."

She stood at the end of the walk with a grocery bag in her hands. The look of shock on her face was clear. She swallowed hard as if finally realizing that she was staring at him and didn't know what to say to get rid of the awkwardness.

Troy took a couple of steps toward her. "So, I heard you were alone on Christmas. And, see my mom has this rule that no one is allowed to be alone on Christmas. And so, see, I—uh, well I—"

Gabriella dropped the bag and wrapped her arms around his neck. She had tears in her eyes.

Troy smiled and let out a breath that released so much of the tension in his chest. He slowly, softly wrapped his arms around her loosely. He clasped his hands behind her back to keep them from getting him in trouble. Then, he just stood there for several moments and held on to her. He could feel a wet spot forming on his shoulder. He knew she was crying quietly. He let her regain her composure before he felt her pull back a little.

"I'm sorry. I—uh—" She wiped her tears and looked around the ground a little awkwardly, "You drove all the way here? Don't you live in Albuquerque?"

Troy rubbed his hand nervously along the back of his neck, "Well, yeah." He didn't know how to tell her that he had woken up thinking about her and that he needed to be with her tonight of all nights.

Gabriella looked at him, "That's kind of a long way, Troy."

He nodded, "Yeah, it really is." He looked around. "Look, I don't mean to creep you out or anything. It's just, like I said my mom has this rule and I woke up thinking about what you'd said during our last lab of the semester and I—it was just—I—" he looked up to her eyes. "I couldn't let you be alone, Gabi. I wanted—no, I needed to be here…with you. So, I just kind of told my mom, you know, that, well, that you'd be alone if I didn't come. So, she put together this Christmas dinner for us and I packed a bag—"

Gabriella looked more closely at him, "But it takes like 14 hours to get here, Troy. You would have had to have left at like—"

Troy looked up at her, "4 am."

Gabriella's jaw dropped.

He rubbed his neck again before shoving his hands into his pockets. "Mom was up making the dinner and well, she said she'd seen that look on my face before."

Gabriella just looked at him, "You brought me Christmas dinner to keep me from being alone?"

He nodded, "Well, yeah."

Gabriella's tears returned, "You don't know what that means to me."

Troy looked at her, "I was kind of hoping you wouldn't mind if I crashed on your floor or something? I don't think I can make the drive back tonight."

Gabriella chuckled, "Yeah, I think we can make that 'or something' happen. Come on, let's go have Christmas dinner."

Troy smiled, "Awesome."

Gabriella smiled too, "Yeah? Well, being the only strong guy here, you have to carry the food upstairs."

Troy groaned, "Wow, didn't think of that."

Gabriella laughed, "Hmm, well maybe I could help."

Troy stood behind her with the cooler a few moments later as she unlocked her apartment door. She cringed, "I'll warn you. It's really not much. I basically just sleep and shower here."

Troy nodded, "I really don't care. Anything is bigger and more comfortable than my truck."

Gabriella chuckled, "Okay." She was nervous. She grabbed one end of the cooler and started up the stairs. They got it into the small one bed room space. She waited to see what Troy would say.

He looked around. "It's nice. It seems like you." He looked around. There was a futon in one corner with several books strewn around it. He saw a small apartment style kitchen in another corner. There was a bathroom to his right and a small bedroom directly in front of him. He could see a soft looking, well-made queen size bed in there and one dresser and closet. He nodded, "Books, a made bed, and clean kitchen. Yep, that's definitely you."

Gabriella shook her head, "Okay. What does that mean?"

Troy looked at her and shook his head very slowly, "I have no idea."

Gabriella looked away shyly, "Okay." She giggled to herself and made her hands busy with the food.

Several minutes later, he came back out of the bathroom and thanked her for letting him grab a shower. He said it made him feel like a human being again. She laughed at him and told him the food was almost warm.

Troy turned back to his bag in the corner and missed the way her eyes lingered over his body as his skinny jeans showed off his incredible build. She bit her lower lip as she looked at him and tried to figure out why a guy like him would drive all this way just to see his lab partner on Christmas. She quickly looked back to the food and plates when he started to stand back up.

He turned around and tried not to let her catch him watching her move in the small kitchen area. She was so graceful and sweet. He noticed as she reached for something in the cabinets that her green sweater that fit her beautifully slipped up over the waist of her navy blue skinny jeans. He loved the way her mocha skin was teasing him. He wanted to slip his…he looked up and saw that she was unsuccessfully trying to reach the bowl overhead. So, he walked up behind her and slipped his right hand along her waist where her sweater had pulled up and slid his left hand along her out stretched arm. He easily picked the bowl from the shelf and smiled as the remaining scent from her body wash and shampoo filled his nose.

She felt her heart pounding. She stood back on her feet like a normal human being. "Sorry. I couldn't—"

His soft voice was right there in her ear, "It's okay. I'm happy to help."

Gabriella smiled nervously, but loved the way his hand was lingering on her side. She realized just a little too late that she was beginning to lean back against him. When she stopped, she felt his hand pull ever so gently. When she let her head drop back to rest at his shoulder, she felt him wrap his arms around her lightly as they watched his mother's meal heat up on the stove. The electricity that went through her as his softly ran his right hand up and down her arm was amazing. She never wanted this moment to end.

Troy leaned his head forward just a bit and placed a small, chaste kiss to the side of her neck. He wanted to kiss and lick and suck his way along the entirety of her body, but he wasn't that gutsy. So, he tenderly placed a few small kisses there on her skin. When she started to lift her head, he thought she was going to pull away from him. The space where her head had been lying on his shoulder felt empty and he immediately wanted her back in his arms.

To his astonishment, Gabriella turned the stove off, and turned around to face him. He thought for sure that she was going to throw him out. But, when he saw her face, he knew something else was going on here. "Gabriella, I—"

She stopped him with one small index finger pressed to his lips. "You should know that I am a virgin. I was the school math geek. I didn't have boyfriends in high school and I'm pretty much a loner now, so I'm not really very good at this kind of thing. I know you drove all this way and I can't thank you enough for that, but Troy, I—" she took a breath and regained her composure, "I won't sleep with you right now, right here because I was sad and lonely."

Troy's eyebrows rose far above their normal resting place. He shook his head and said, "I would never want—that's not true, I would love to have sex with you. I meant I don't ever want you to do something like that with me because you feel obligated. All, I was trying to do was exactly what I was doing. I wanted to hold you. I wanted to press some gentle kisses to your skin." He looked away for a second and then back at her with a slightly nervous laugh, "I've wanted to do that for a while now. I wasn't trying to make you think you need to strip and give me a good time. Don't get me wrong, if that's what you want for Christmas, I'm more than happy to oblige, but it's not why I'm here."

Gabriella looked at him very directly, "Why are you here?"

Troy looked her in the eye as he said, "Because when I woke up this morning, I knew that I needed to be with you tonight. I couldn't let you be alone on Christmas night and I wanted—needed to be with you to celebrate my Christmas. If I'd stayed in Albuquerque, I would have spent the entire day thinking about you."

Gabriella felt her tears prickling her eyes again. She bit her lower lip to fend them off. "Really?"

He nodded, "Really."

She took a deep breath and looked up to the ceiling. When she looked back at him, she said, "Please don't be lying to me."

Troy furrowed his brow, "Why would I lie to you?"

She bit her lip, "Things like this don't happen to me, Troy. They just don't."

He lifted her chin with his index finger. "This is happening. I'm here. I'm real. You're not alone, Gabriella."

She felt a tear crest her lashes. Then to her amazement, he lifted his hand and wiped the tear away. He slipped his fingers back into her hair. She heard him say, "I want to kiss you right now. Is it okay? Can I kiss you?" She nodded and felt his lips crash down onto hers. His lips felt so wonderful. She let him lead the kiss. When his tongue drifted across her lower lip, she parted her lips to allow him to deepen the kiss. She could feel his arms tightening around her. Carefully, she opened her eyes just a small bit and saw Troy Bolton, Berkeley basketball star, and all around beloved guy, kissing her. She let her eyes slip closed again and the sensations took over. The feeling of him holding her was intense and amazing and everything she could have ever hoped for.

Suddenly the sound of reindeer bells rocked them from their shared moment. Troy looked at his bag, "It's my mom. She's probably wondering if I made it okay."

Gabriella nodded as she wiped her lips dry from their kiss. "Yeah, no, you should take that. I mean, she…" She had no idea how to finish that sentence. All she wanted was Troy to pull her back into his arms and kiss her again.

Troy smiled over at her. He saw that awkward look start to return. He pulled her back to him. "That doesn't mean I need space, Gabi. In fact, right now, I want as little space between us as possible."

Gabriella smiled girlishly. "Good," she said in a small voice.

Troy pressed a soft kiss to her lips. He had to fight himself to keep from getting carried away. He heard the reindeer bells again and slid his hand away from her waist to her hand. He led her over to his bag and then to the futon. He sat down in the middle and motioned for her to climb onto his lap. He smiled, "We'll call her together."

Gabriella blushed, "I don't know your mom, Troy."

Troy grinned, "No, but she knows that you're the only person that's ever pulled her baby boy from her on his mother's favorite holiday ever. She knows she's going to know more about you at some point. Why not now?"

Gabriella sat down on his lap gingerly, but Troy pulled her back against him. He smiled when she laid her head on his shoulder while he tapped the phone to life. He hit the call back button and smiled as she tensed slightly in his arms. "It's okay, baby." He kissed her head as the phone began to ring on speaker.

It clicked and his mom's voice filled the apartment, "Troy Alexander, tell me you are okay!"

Troy chuckled, "I'm fine, mom. We're sitting comfortably on her couch looking over that the smorgasbord you sent with me."

She sighed a heavy sigh of relief. Then, she said, "Good. Now, tell me more about the woman who I will need to meet soon. Who is this girl? Is she smart? Tell me she's smart and not just one of those—"

Troy cut her off, "No, mom, she's great. She's, uh, sitting right here."

Gabriella wet her dry throat and said shyly, "Um, hello, Mrs. Bolton. I'm Gabriella."

Troy's mother's voice changed to a slightly sweeter tone. "Well, hello, Ms. Gabriella. It's nice to know that you're real. I was beginning to get worried that Troy had bailed on family time to play video games or more basketball with his friends."

Troy blushed and Gabriella chuckled, "No, he's here with me. We were just about to eat when we heard the reindeer bells. I guess that's your ringtone."

Troy smiled and kissed her forehead. "Yeah, mom, remind me to let you hear the ringtone I put together for you."

The woman chuckled, "Well you know how I feel about my favorite day of the year. If it's Christmas-y, then it's all right with me."

Troy shook head and rolled his eyes, "Yeah, mom, I know."

Gabriella smiled at him, "So, Mrs. Bolton, I just really want to say thank you so much for the amazing meal and for letting me borrow Troy today. I know it's a big deal for you. I just want you to know that it's a big deal for me to have him here. I was alone." She stopped for a second, then she continued, "But, I won't be now. So, uh, thank you."

Lucille made a very soft sigh, "Gabriella, I don't know if he told you this or not, but I have a rule—"

Gabriella smiled, "He did. You don't allow people to be alone on Christmas."

She chuckled, "That's the one. If me being without my baby boy means that there's one less lonely person on my favorite holiday, then so be it. I'm happy to share him with you, darling."

Troy smiled and looked over at Gabriella. She didn't know it, but his mom had just given him the sign. "Darling," it was a term she reserved for young women that she liked. She'd never used it for one of his "girlfriends" before. But, sitting here, a thousand miles away from his mom on her favorite day, she had given her approval of the only girl who'd ever been able to pull him from his parents. He kissed her quickly. "Well mom, we gotta eat or all this food that you both worked on is going to get cold."

Lucille chuckled again, "Go, eat! Have a lovely Christmas, you two."

Troy said his goodbyes and hung up the phone. He sat simply looking at Gabriella.

She looked back for a few moments and then started to wonder, "What?"

He kissed her again, "She likes you."

Gabriella shook her head, "I'm sure she was just being nice. She probably hates me for splitting up her family on her favorite holiday."

Troy shook his head, "She called you darling. She likes you."

Gabriella looked at him, "Really?"

Troy smiled, "Yeah, baby." He kissed her lips again. "You know, I think that food really is going to get cold if you let me sit here and make out with you. 'Cause I don't think I'll ever feel the need to stop kissing you."

Gabriella smiled sweetly, "Really?"

He nodded, "Those lips taste so sweet to me."

She smiled, "Well, you know I don't exactly have a Christmas present for you, so I should give you something."

Troy's eyes flashed brightly.

She got up and made a plate and walked back over to the futon. "Here you go, one beautifully prepared meal." She laughed.

Troy shook his head again, but he had a smile on his face. "Is this like the time that you made that beautifully prepared sample of sulfuric acid?"

Gabriella glared at him teasingly, "Oh, that is so not fair!"

Troy laughed, "Co 'mere."

She sat down next to him. He leaned forward and kissed her. Then he raised a piece of turkey and held it in front of her lips. "We can share."

She smiled, "Sounds good." She let him feed her the bite of turkey. Then they both began nibbling at the plate and teasing each other over different events of the semester.

Later that night, as they lie quietly in her bed, Gabriella looked up at the ceiling and thanked God for the man holding her. She felt a small tear slip down the side of her face. But, for the first time, she was crying happy tears on Christmas, because for once her Christmas wish came true. She rolled over and looked at Troy as he sleepily opened his eyes to see her.

"What's up, baby?"

She smiled, "I just needed to see you… my very own Christmas miracle."

Troy smiled and kissed the tip of her nose. "This Christmas miracle needs sleep, baby, unless you want to do the driving back to my parents' place in the morning."

Gabriella smiled, "I know you have to leave…"

Troy chuckled, "Oh no, you're going with me. We'll come back to school when it starts again. Until then, I really want you to stay with me."

She smiled, "I couldn't think of anywhere else I'd want to be."

Troy kissed her lips softly again. He felt that satisfied feeling in his chest. Ever since she'd leaned back against him, he realized he'd been feeling so happy. He pulled her in tighter to his body. "Goodnight to all and to all a good night."

Gabriella chuckled and slowly drifted off to sleep in the arms of her man.


End file.
